Cornell vet talks with NCPR about protecting pets from wildfire smoke
By Cara Chaplin, North Country Public Radio
Smoky air caused by wildfires in Canada recently returned to the North Country in New York, making air quality levels "unhealthy for sensitive groups" in parts of the region and across the country.
According to a July 17 story on North Country Public Radio, humans, especially those with preexisting conditions, can get sick from exposure. Dr. Aly Cohen from Cornell University said our pets can experience similar risks. Cohen is a clinical instructor in shelter medicine and an Extension associate for The Cornell Margaret and Richard Riney Canine Health Center.
"Any pet, or person for that matter, can experience the risks of poor air quality, especially when it's heavy enough where we can actually smell the smoke in the air," she said. "If you can smell it, your pet is experiencing the effects of that as well."
Cohen told Champlain Valley reporter Cara Chapman that symptoms to watch out for in your pets include red, watery eyes, coughing or gagging.
In the interview, the veterinarian said that owners know their pets best.
"If you know that they have a pre-existing condition I would, first and foremost, always speak with your vet, of course," she said. "But if you're outside and you're seeing it, I would first just go inside and see if it goes away now that they're at rest. If that respiratory rate is staying elevated, even once you're inside, then I would seek advice from your veterinarian at that point."
In terms of protecting pets, Cohen said that unfortunately, pets can't wear masks while they're outside, so her advice focuses on prevention efforts.
"The most you can stay inside when we're having these alerts, the better off they're going to be," she said. "Of course, it's still fine for dogs and some cats that have access to the outdoors to do their potty breaks. I would just really limit that time. If you normally take them on two-mile walks every day, twice a day, maybe just rein that in during the high alert times and just do bathroom breaks only."
Inside, Cohen said that using an air purifier is ideal, because smoke can still trickle into the house.
"It's good to keep the windows shut if you can or use fans to kind move the air around indoors," she said.
Listen to the interview and read more on the NCPR site.
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